The International Online Fellowship Program on Nonviolence and Peace
IFPNP- IV, 2025-2026
Welcome Address of Prof.Dorcas Ettang at the Inaugural Session
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| Prof. Dorcas Ettang |
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening. I know all of you were coming from different time zones and locations. Welcome to everyone. On behalf of the international fellowship Program on Nonviolence and Peace, I warmly welcome each one of you to this gathering. Though we are separated by distance, we are united in spirit and it is a joy to see a very large number of students who are interested in this fellowship program. It is very encouraging and I'd like to welcome all of you today. It is important to reflect on the theme of nonviolence. Nonviolence is more than the refusal to cause harm. Nonviolence is a way of life grounded in values like justice, compassion, and love. Nonviolence is choosing reconciliation over retaliation. It's choosing peace over conflict and courage over fear. When we look at the world today, we are affected by division, misunderstanding, violence. But fellowships like this one shine like a bright light in the world that we are in because this fellowship reminds us that there are other ways that are possible to settle our differences and to have a peaceful world. So, this fellowship is timely and it will allow us to begin to or continue to create communities where we respect each other, where we value each other's voices, where hope and love and compassion is stronger than hatred. So, as we engage over the next few months, I invite our participants to open up your hearts to listen up to engage fully in this process. This is a space of respect, is a space of encouragement, where we share ideas and uplift each other. So, I hope that at the end of this fellowship you are inspired. Your commitment to nonviolence is renewed and strengthened and that you are committed to living as people of peace and being the voice of peace in your homes, in your communities, and in the world at large. So once again, I'd like to welcome you all. We are glad that you are here and we're looking forward to engaging with you and learning from you.
Thank you very much.
Dorcas Ettang
Acting Director
International Centre of Nonviolence
Durban University of Technology
South Africa
October 2,2025
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